A Wonderful Introduction to Singing the Psalms

Posted by Joel Weyrick on 7th Apr 2011

Ours is a time when the church has forgotten a primary role for which God intended the Psalms. At least in America, the Psalms are not so much sung as read. While reading the Psalms is certainly beneficial, God uniquely gave His people these words to lead us into His praise. Michael Lefebvre has given the church a stirring call to again take up the Psalms in our worship, led in singing by our Mediator, Jesus.

Singing the Songs of Jesus challenges churches of every stripe to consider introducing Psalms back into congregational singing. This is not a polemical book that focuses on internecine debates about how Psalms are used (e.g. the exclusive singing of Psalms), but it is instead a universal plea that God's inspired hymns be allowed to form us and our worship. Lefebvre gives the reader a chance to understand the benefits of singing the Psalms beyond the devotional role to which they are so often relegated. He achieves this by considering the king-led construction of the Psalms, the way in which Jesus led His people in singing the Psalms, their Christ-centered nature, and how they carry us along from even sorrow into praise.

Lefebvre chose not to employ confessional or historical arguments, but he has instead presented a thoroughly biblical case in order to make this book more useful to those outside of his confessional Presbyterian outlook. His strong grasp of the Old Testament narrative helps to shine a light on many questions that surround the creation of the Psalms. He answers the difficult questions that the new Psalm-singer will have about the imprecations in the Psalms and will cause them to gain new insight on this necessary part of the Scripture. At the end of every chapter, he also gives practical resources on how one might begin singing the Psalms in worship.

If you have never considered singing the Psalms or if you desire to understand the Psalms better, you should not miss this immensely helpful book!